Let's Move Blog

On the evening of July 30, I had the honor of addressing the 165 youth leaders from 53 tribes who were attending the 2012 National Intertribal Youth Summit in Chevy Chase, Maryland. I stressed the importance of fitness within all of the American Indian and Alaska Native communities, especially since childhood obesity is one of the most pressing issues currently facing Indian Country. I believe that through sports like lacrosse, which increase physical activity and simultaneously reinforce cultural heritage, we can help to get our youth on the path toward healthier lifestyles. Thanks to US Lacrosse, the sport’s national governing body, we spent an hour and a half getting active and learning the basic skills of the game.

Calling all Houstonians -- the Move It Movement Tour is coming to your city. In support of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition has partnered with the Cartoon Network to launch the third annual Move It Movement Tour, a national campaign to get kids moving more and eating healthy in a fun and interactive outdoor environment. Think your kid won’t like it? Think again! Kids have been eager to try different activities at every stop. Our favorite quotes: “This is the best day of summer camp yet!” and “I wish this was here every day.”
After hosting events in several cities around the country, the tour wraps up on August 12 in Houston, Texas. The First Lady appeared on the Cartoon Network on May 28 to inform kids and families how they can get involved with Let’s Move! through the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA+) program. The tour officially kicked off in Atlanta on June 10, and at each of the 17 stops, families have been able to enjoy a wide range of active games, such as basketball and soccer shootouts, football and golf drills, and sidewalk art creation stations. By exposing kids to various activities, families can learn more about different ways they can lead a healthy, active lifestyle.

Ed note: This guest post was provided by Dara Torres, who competed in five Olympic games and won 12 medals for Team USA.
My daughter Tessa and I really had such an amazing experience traveling to London together for the first week of the Olympics. Although I was hoping to be there as an athlete (having just missed making the team by nine one hundredths of a second), it was still fun to be there as a spectator.
When we talk about all the wonderful things we did over there, the one thing that stands out in both our minds was the Let's Move event put on by the First Lady and Nickelodeon.

Ed. Note: This article was first published on Whitehouse.gov
Go behind the scenes with First Lady Michelle Obama and members of Team USA past and present, as they join military kids and 2,000 American military children and American and British students at Let’s Move! London, an event held to spread the spirit of the Olympic Games in London.
And make sure to check out the Storify gallery we put together of the great tweets from people who were at the event in London with the First Lady, which is included below:

As we watch and are inspired by Team USA's 2012 Olympic results in London, we can all take a cue from our team and strive to live a little more like athletes ourselves. A nutritious diet and regular physical activity are the building blocks to peak performance. This summer, MyPlate and Let’s Move! are encouraging Americans to make healthier eating choices and include physical activity into their daily routine to support Team USA and celebrate the Olympic Games.
ChooseMyPlate.gov can help answer your questions about nutrition, weight management, physical activity, food safety, and building healthier meals. The website can help you make daily food decisions by providing information about food groups and portions sizes, and offering simple recipes that reflect the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommendations. We encourage you to check out the 10 Tips Nutrition Education Series. Topics include “Eating Better on a Budget,” “Healthy Eating for Vegetarians,” and many more.

Ed. Note: This article is a cross post from USDA's Blog
With gas prices on the rise and the trip to the nearest large grocery store clocking in at 50 miles, Mark Platten realized an opportunity much closer to home. Platten, the Colorado State University Extension Director for Teller County, began brainstorming and came up with the idea for a program that would engage young people in gardening, put fresh food on the table, and facilitate community service opportunities in the town of Cripple Creek, Colorado – a small town situated in the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 9,500.

Ed. Note: This article is a cross post from USDA's Blog
The Louisiana State 4-H Food and Fitness Camp is joining the Let’s Move! initiative to combat childhood obesity through improved nutrition and increased physical activity. As a camp for fourth and fifth graders designed and run by high school 4-H teens, the program motivates campers to eat healthier and move more.
This year, the 4-H Food and Fitness Camp incorporated a jungle safari-themed experience, showing campers that eating right and exercising can be fun! Dressed in wild animal costumes and surrounded by fake vines, the campers and counselors played games and learned about nutrition.

While First Lady Michelle Obama was in London leading the U.S. Delegation to the 2012 Olympic Games, communities back at home showed their support for Team USA by dancing, jumping and running their way to a healthier lifestyle. Thousands of people from nearly all 50 states got together to celebrate Let’s Move! Olympic Fun Day on Saturday, July 28th by getting active and having fun. From tug-of-war in Eagle, Wisconsin to badminton in Porterville, CA and from soccer in New York City to relay races in Cornish, ME, we were thrilled by the response!
We hope all the fun and activity inspires your family and community to get moving too! And even though our Olympic Fun Day has passed, you can join or host a Let's Move! Meetup in your community year-round.
Have a look at some of the coverage, stories, photos and tweets from events that took place around the country:

Ed note: This was originally published on whitehouse.gov
First Lady Michelle Obama was in the stands on Saturday as Team USA scored its first gold medal in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. In her unofficial capacity as First Fan, Mrs. Obama had the chance to cheer on swimmer Ryan Lochte as he won the men's 400 meter individual medley.

Posted by Marissa Duswalt, Associate Director for Policy and Events of the Lets Move! Initiative on July 27, 2012

Ed note: This post originally appeared on the blog at whitehouse.gov
Today, First Lady Michelle Obama joined 2,000 American military children and American and British students at Let’s Move! London, an event held to spread the spirit of the Olympic Games in London. The First Lady is leading the U.S. Delegation to the Summer Games and Let’s Move! London was designed to turn the inspiration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games into action by encouraging kids to get moving.
“That’s what Let's Move is all about. It’s about helping kids like you live happier, healthier lives,” Mrs. Obama told the crowd gathered at the U.S. Ambassador's Residence in London. “And that’s really why we brought you all here today… because we want you to see that there all kinds of ways that you can stay active and have fun doing it. You don't have to be an Olympian. You don't have to join a team. But there are so many ways that you can have fun and keep yourselves moving.”

To celebrate the start of the Summer Games in London, First Lady Michelle Obama is calling on communities around the country to support Team USA on Saturday, July 28, not just by cheering from the couch, but by taking inspiration from their hard work and dedication to get active. Cities, towns and organizations across America have signed on to support tomorrow's Let’s Move! Olympic Fun Day with activities that promote healthy living.
From a day of dancing on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to a Fitness and Nutrition Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, and from an Olympic-style relay in Bluffton, Indiana to a workout on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Moncia, California, there are more than 200 Let's Move! Olympic Fun Day events being planned on Meetup in more than forty states.

Have you ever heard of an Edible Forest Garden? It’s a garden that grows native and edible plants, and it's also a great way to get kids connected to nature. In Richmond, California, volunteers came together to celebrate Cesar Chavez Community Garden Day at their own Edible Forest garden. Youth learned about forest plants that are both unique to the local geography and also edible.

Posted by Kori Schulman, Director of Online Engagement on July 26, 2012

First Lady Michelle Obama is leading the U.S. Delegation to the 2012 Olympic Games and she’s calling on families around the country to support Team USA, not just by cheering on our athletes, but by getting active in their own communities.
Saturday, July 28th is the first day of the competition in London. We're calling on families around the country to join us by participating in “Olympics-inspired” Meetups in your towns or neighborhoods.

Is your menu ready for the first day of the Olympic Games? On July 28th, the First Lady is hosting the first ever national Let’s Move! Olympic Fun Day inspired by the summer games and as part of her Let’s Move! initiative to raise a healthier generation of kids. To join the celebration, Reed Alexander cooked up some delicious recipes inspired by London’s finest delicacies. Check out tips and recipes from Reed below:

Ed. Note: As the First Lady leads the U.S. Delegation to the 2012 Olympic Games in London, she is calling on communities across the country to participate in an “Olympics-inspired” Meetup on July 28, 2012. You can learn more about Let's Move! Olympic Fun Day at: letsmove.gov/meetup.
Do you have Olympic fever?
This Saturday, July 28, as First Lady Michelle Obama leads the U.S. Delegation to the 2012 Olympic Games, she’s calling on families around the country to support Team USA, not just by cheering on our athletes, but also by organizing their own Let's Move! Olympic Fun Day events.
As the CEO of a national nonprofit dedicated to building playgrounds, I can’t help but be excited. After all, the Olympics encapsulates many of the elements that make outdoor play so critical: teamwork, skill development, challenge, and fitness, to name just a few.